Chapter Two: Playing Truant

Audrey began the walk the school but didn't quite make it. She made her detour towards Geoff's home and came across him sitting on his parents' door. He was smoking one of his father's leftover cigarettes which he left before leaving. He offered it up to Audrey but she shook her head as she leaned against his wall. She's been outside before, greeted Mrs Masters with a smile but she never been inside it. Not like she expected to be...

"What if your father notices you haven't been to school? It only takes one concerned busybody to tell them that they didn't see you" Geoff reminded her.

"I don't care. Not after yesterday...My parents made a right fool out of themselves and me in front of Mr and Mrs Reid. Sorry, Mr and Mrs Malcolm Reid. Mother's going to be calling her mam soon"

"Oh Mrs Malcolm Reid. Oh how I wish I could have your big-headed husband as opposed to my own" Geoff spoke up a higher pitched tone.

Which made Audrey burst out laughing. He smiled in return as he put out the cigarette and invited her inside. The home was small and rather dirty but she supposed that Mrs Masters has been away for a whole two days now. Geoff wasn't exactly the type to pick up a duster. She had a look around, noticing the lack of radio or television. Not everybody could afford one but as somebody who did have a radio, she felt it looked rather bare without any form of modern entertaiment. Though they did have a bookcase with a lot of books about art and the history of art.

"Father enjoys looking at paintings" Geoff explained as he felt her eyes go towards these art books.

"What paintings?"

"All sorts of paintings"

"Oh. My father doesn't enjoy anything besides drinking and playing darts. Oh and sucking up to Malcolm Reid"

"Forget about the Reids. I think you're a bit obsessed with them as well, Audrey"

"I'm only talking about them because they are the only company we got. Well besides my friends and you"

"Well enough chatter. What do you want to do?"

"Well I don't want to go out until our school are in lessons. Perhaps we can go out to a pub or something. You must have a shilling or two"

"We can't go to a pub. They would spot us being underage straight away"

"How?"

"You're wearing a gymslip, Audrey" Geoff reminded her.

She looked down and pouted. Oh, so she was. She sighed and sat down on the couch as she tried to think of something else. What do older people on their free days she wondered. Something that isn't the pub. What would Joyce and Malcolm Reid do? Geoff could see her thinking.

"The picturehouse" Audrey then suggested with a smile.

"Oh I don't know. I just thought we might stay here and twitter on. We could go the 'Glad Tidings Mission Hall' and annoy Mrs Sharples I suppose. Throw rocks at her door or something, that always cheers me up"

"Who is Mrs Sharples?"

"A sour-faced old crow. Lives on Coronation Street"

"Oh I don't go near there. Father says the pub landlady is really snobby and not in the enjoyable way"

...

The two teenagers soon walked that way anyway. Avoiding their small local patch as he took Audrey to 'Coronation Street'. Her first time there but it wasn't Geoff's, he liked driving the old 'sour-faced old crow' around the bend too much since he discovered her last year. He pointed towards the 'Glad Tidings Mission Hall' with a small wink. He picked up a few stones and led her behind the tin bin which was just outside the entrance. He crouched down and threw a couple of stones, hoping to fool Mrs Shaples into thinking it was a knock at her door. The two waited for the sound of footsteps...

"Perhaps she's not in" Audrey suggested as a few moments of silence followed.

Geoff shushed her before throwing another few stones at the door. "Come on you old crow" Geoff spoke up loudly.

The distrinct sound of a small cough behind them made them turn around. Mrs Ena Sharples was standing there with a tin of tuna. Having just come from the corner shop, Geoff and Audrey were too scared to say anything. Audrey suddenly began to pretend to look for something on the ground.

"I lost my ring, Mrs...Mrs Sharples" Audrey shakily lied.

"I know very well what you lost. I'm not as deaf as I am old. You stand up and not dare throw another stone. I expect this from you but to drag a stupid girl into your game is quite doolally. One more visit and I'll give you up to the local police station for harassment" Ena warned a strangely quiet Geoff.

"Sorry, Mrs Sharples" Geoff replied as he pulled himself and Audrey up.

"So you should be. Now leave and don't come back unless it's for something useful. Neither of you two are too old for a clip around the ear" Ena responded swiftly.

Watching as they both cleared away, barely able to hide their smiles. Geoff grabbed onto Audrey's hand as they walked across the cobbles. Briefly passing Minnie Caldwell. They walked past the 'Elliston's Raincoat Factory' on their way back to their own local patch. Holding hands almost the entire way as they walked through short cuts and arriving back in their own local patch. Making a swift exit back to Geoff's house as he unlocked the door and the two of them retreated back inside.

"Mrs Sharples is quite an angry crow now" Audrey spoke up with a smirk.

"She is but she should count herself lucky that I'm putting away my childish acts soon"

"What do you mean?"

"Well didn't it feel nice holding hands like a married couple? We ought to do other things married couples do before you have to go back home. Our parents think we're in school, don't they? Nobody ought to know"

"We will know...God will know"

"I told you. I'm planning on marrying you soon anyhow"

Audrey hesitated before nodding and following him upstairs. This was the mistake that led to her pregnancy.

...

"You're quiet. Do you feel awful?" Geoff asked after an hour or so.

It was the first time for both of them. They must have laid there for a good twenty minutes after the fact. Just doing nothing before Audrey got dressed (and he soon followed). He followed her downstairs and they were on the couch when he asked her this question. Audrey didn't hate what she just did but she didn't feel wonderful either.

"I feel sick. That's how I feel" Audrey answered while looking down at her shoes.

"You're not suggesting I forced you?"

"No. No, Geoff. I'm not suggesting you forced me. I feel sick because of my parents and I feel as if they will know. I'm scared"

"They won't know. Nobody but us will know...Please don't go away like this, I'd feel awful if you do"

"We shouldn't have done what married couples do. I have to go home and rest...I don't know if I want to see you again. I'm sorry because I do enjoy your company but this was wrong"

"Because of God?"

"No. Because I feel it was wrong and if something feels wrong, you ought not to do it. I'm really sorry...Please don't think badly of me. I just feel as if my parents will know and that makes me feel sick"

"Audrey-"

"No. I'm going...I knew I should have gone straight to school. Bye, Geoff. Please don't think badly. We'll talk soon I promise" Audrey insisted as she got up and left the house.

Ignoring him as he called her name and begged for her not to leave like this. She did like Geoff but she wishes she didn't give herself away to him. She just thought she might feel like she did want to marry him if she did it. But the truth was that nothing has changed. Audrey had no idea that this would lead to pregnancy but the truth was, she would feel sick for different reasons soon.

...

TBC